Breathe Your Life Into Me
by powerfulluv
Summary: I basked in the idea that Edward and I were some kind of epic love story, that no one else could ever experience this sort of passionate love and infatuation. In some odd sort of way, I felt special, unique, something I’ve never felt about myself before.
1. Preface

Disclaimer: I don't own any Twilight characters.

This is an Edward/Bella/Jake story

This story starts off right after Eclipse.

Rated M

Breathe Your Life Into Me

**Preface**

_A__s I drove up, I could clearly see Jacob leaning against the Rabbit, which was parked in my driveway. I couldn't help but smile. I had missed my friend, and it would be good to see him again. After I parked my truck, I rushed over to him not even trying to hide my happiness to see him._

"_Long time no see!" I teased, hoping that he would appreciate it. _

"_I know." He sighed heavily, "I've been busy with a new project, and I haven't had the time to get back to you, or anyone." My eyes gleamed; I had always enjoyed watching Jacob work on cars. He thought I was crazy, but I truly enjoyed watching the fulfillment in Jacob's eyes when he worked. _

"_Really?" I asked excitedly, "what are you working on?" But instantly I could tell that small talk was not what he had come for. _

"_Bella, there's something important I need to ask." I anxiously nodded my head to allow him to continue, not sure where this conversation was about to go. He stood up straight, towering over me like I was only three feet tall. _

"_Did I ever have a chance? Did we ever have a chance?" My mouth gaped open. I wasn't expecting Jacob to be so blunt, but I probably should have. _

"_No." I replied immediately. It was like a reflex, something I didn't have to think about, at least not anymore, but I don't think that's what Jacob wanted to hear. I could see the frustration in his eyes._

"_Then what happened between us last year? When the cold one abandoned you?" I tensed, not wanting to relive those memories despite how long ago it was; it still burned me inside to think about it. "I thought you were starting to love me." His voice was suddenly soft, painful even. _

"_I do love you Jacob!" I yelled up at him, "I can't live without you," I wanted him to at least hear the truth, "and it's killing me that I'm hurting you right now." This was so much harder than I wanted it to be. "I love you Jacob, I do. You are my best friend-" _

"_But," he interrupted, already knowing what was coming. _

"_But, that's all. I can't give you what you want from me. I thought I made that clear last year." I said with sadness. I hated that I was the one making him frown. He looked away from me for a moment, gazing towards the grey clouds. "I am sorry. I never meant to give you false hope." I strained, hoping that he would look at me. "Can't this just be a wonderful, beautiful friendship?" He finally turned back to look down at me. He smiled, but it wasn't painless. He seemed to understand me though._

"_Bella, I will always be your friend. I never said it was all or nothing." I could tell that he was sincere, and when he put his strong arms around me I could feel the burning warmth of his skin. _

_I smiled up at my best friend, grateful that he wasn't angry with me. Deep down, he has always known where my heart lies. Even so, I appreciate his willingness. He was stubborn, like me, and I understood him better than I should. His eyes looked hopeful for a moment, but then instantly replaced by remorse. I sighed. I wasn't the type of person who liked letting people down, especially my friends. _

"_I just wish-," He was hesitant, unsure if he should continue. However, he ignored his better judgment. "You met me first." I was a little confused, because I had known him longer. He noticed my bewilderment and continued. "I mean the new me, the monster." I quickly pushed away from his embrace, and looked up at him with anger and frustration._

"_Jacob, you didn't become my best friend because you were an animal." I was more than a little irritated. "And it's not the vampire in him that I love." I said with more agitation in my voice. He thought I preferred them wild and dangerous. He could sense my anger rising, but he wasn't going to calm me down. Instead, it fired him up even more than we both would have liked. _

"_And what if he wasn't a vampire, if he never existed? Would you love me then?" The volume of Jacob's voice had increased dramatically, and it made me glad that Charlie wasn't home yet. He grabbed me by the shoulders forcefully and pulled me closer to him, his face merely inches in front of mine. I tensed quickly; I never got used to his overpowering demeanor. His voice was low and husky this time, "Can you honestly say that if he never came back, you wouldn't eventually fall for me?" I froze; I didn't know what to say. The truth was he was probably right. If Edward never came back for me, it may have been a different story. I know I would have easily let Jacob into my heart. _

_Before I had a chance to do anything about it, I felt his hot lips grasp mine, and for a moment I was reminded of last year. I loved him, I was confused, but I loved him and I was sure of it. He was there to protect me, to ease the pain in my heart when Edward was gone. He was the one who made me feel alive again. I let him kiss me longer than I should have. His lips were coarse and painfully warm, but all I could think about was Edward. I yearned for the intensity of his cold breath, of his cold hands that would caress my flushed cheeks. _

_That's when I broke away. "No." It came out barely above a whisper, so I repeated louder, "No, Jacob," I pushed him harder and further away from me, angry with him for kissing me, but more angry with myself for letting it get that far. But I didn't have time to complain. I suddenly heard a loud angry growl and that's when everything happened so fast. _

_Suddenly I could see the rage in Jacob's face when he turned to meet his oncoming opponent. I couldn't mistake that growl for anything. It clearly came from Edward. He had been there without us knowing, and he had clearly seen us kiss. I didn't have time to move out of the way before they began to attack each other. I was afraid, they were both strong, powerful creatures that had the ability to tear the other one to shreds. I panicked for a moment until I had realized that they weren't acting in their animal-like way. They were throwing punches at each other like regular humans did. It was bizarre to me, and for a moment I was caught in amazement. But that feeling quickly vanished, and all I could think about was that I had to stop this; I hated that they were fighting each other over me. _

_I ran quickly over towards the fighting men, trying my best to break them apart. "Stop it!" I screamed at them. But it wasn't working. I screamed harder then, and grabbed a hold of Jacob's fleeing arm. That was the wrong move. With much force, Jacob pulled himself from my grasp and hit me forcefully in the process. _

_The next thing I knew was the pain of landing on the hard gravel. I felt the wind knocked out of me, and I gasped for breath. Noticing my struggles, Edward turned to face me, no longer concerned about beating the hell out of Jacob, but now on my well-being. Jacob too had noticed what he had done, and I could tell he instantly regretted his behavior. _

_Edward rushed to my side, bending down on one knee to take my hand. "Are you alright Bella?" I could tell he wasn't completely calm, and still wanted to fight. I was finally able to breathe again and I turned to face Edward. _

"_Yeah, I think so." I tried to smile at him when his beautiful face stared at me intently. I fought the urge to reach out and touch the beautiful features on his face. I was glad to see him, but I was mad at his behavior. No matter what he saw, he should not have reacted that way. _

"_I'm so sorry Bella," I could hear the pain in Jacob's voice. I knew he was sorry, but I wasn't going to let it go that easily. It wasn't fair that he acted this way. He needed to know that we could never be what he wanted us to be. But before I could say something I heard Edward's cool, harsh voice. _

"_Stay away from her," He threatened Jacob, and I could hear the rumble in his chest as he began to growl again. I took this as the opportunity to calm him down. _

"_Edward," I reached my hand over to capture his face and gently forced him to stare back at me. He saw the look in my eyes and instantly softened his features. He stood up next to me, reaching his hand down to help me up. I brushed myself off before I spoke up again. _

"_Bella-"Jacob's voice was even more distressing than before. Edward instantly scowled at him, and I knew it wasn't the best time to talk to him. I tightened my grip around Edward's hand to let him know that it was okay. _

"_I think you should go." I told Jacob. He tried to protest but I added firmly, "Please. Just. Go." He was reluctant, but he knew that it was better for him to leave. I felt horrible, and at the same time still angry. After he left, Edward turned to face me. _

"_Are you sure you are okay?" He pressured me, but I knew he was just concerned. "I swear I won't let him hurt you again." I nodded before we headed back inside my house. _

"_I'm still angry with you." I said to him as we sat down in the living room. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "You didn't have to attack him. You shouldn't have attacked him." I huffed annoyed at the memory. But then I noticed that Edward wasn't paying any attention to me, and I could tell that he was lost in his own thoughts. _

"_You kissed him back." He stately plainly, trying to hide his jealousy, but I could clearly see through his façade. I instantly felt horrible again. He wasn't supposed to see that. It wasn't supposed to happen. _


	2. Hero

**Chapter 1: Hero**

"Good morning, beautiful." He always knew when I was faking.

I opened my eyes to see him lying next to me on my bed, sitting up perfectly straight, eyes closed, hair disheveled. He looked quite peaceful, even though he was fully clothed in his outfit from yesterday. Only Edward could make the non-shower look sexy. Even with his eyes closed, I knew he was incapable of sleeping. I figured he was trying to concentrate on the sound of my breathing. He once told me that the sound soothed to him; I looked at him like he was crazy. I watched him for a long moment, letting his breathtakingly handsome features amaze me. Without thinking, I smiled as wide as I could with half my face buried in my Egyptian cotton pillow. I thought I was fooling him, I thought that he couldn't tell I was awake, but I should have known better.

With his eyes still closed, he smirked at my reaction. "It's your heart that gives you away, love."

Despite the countless times I had woken up like this, he had never ceased to amaze me. I turned my head a little to get a better view of his perfectly defined face, and I felt my smile widen bigger than before. He was still the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I still felt a little awkward next to him; my features were not even comparable. However, I learned to deal with each passing day because I knew that it didn't matter. He loved me, he would always love me. And that's all I needed to know, at least for now.

Edward risked his life to safe me. He fought off James, the Volturi, and even Victoria with her gang of newbie vampires. I think he proved his point. He loved me no matter how human I was.

This scared me a little; no it scared me a lot.

I'm only eighteen for crying out loud! Could it be that simple? Could true love find me this soon? Did I even believe in such a phrase, true love? Maybe it was only because I was having doubts about this whole marriage thing that created this confusion.

Despite that there was no doubt in my mind that I loved and would always love him. I knew this because every time I looked at him, it was as if I was seeing him for the first time. It was confusing though, sometimes. There'd days when I'd feel like I'd known him forever, and yet I would still learn something different about him each day. No, it wasn't how much I loved him that scared me. It was just the idea of marriage.

It sounded ridiculous. I had internal arguments with my inner voice much more often these days. It should be easy, I loved him and that's all that should matter. Yet, a part of me knew better. Didn't my parents love each other once? Didn't they fall madly in love before? Sure, I could argue that mine and Edward's situation was completely different, but for some reason it didn't really make any difference to me. I didn't want to end up like my father.

"What are you thinking?" Edward breathed quietly, pulling me away from my thoughts before I could start another internal battle.

He finally opened his eyes to look down at me, his smirk now turning into a soft smile. I was glad that he couldn't hear my thoughts, especially now. If he could hear me I know what he would say. First, he would clench his jaw, preparing me for his bitter words. _'If you do not wish to marry me, and it's him who you desire…' _I would then through a fit and yell how unreasonably jealous he was acting. I explained to him months ago that despite my friendship and love I once had with Jacob Black, I would always choose him. I would then argue _'besides, he's gone…'_

I could tell he was worried, I hadn't answered back. I knew better than to tell him my true thoughts, so I went for the mushy cliché.

"How I'll never get used to this." His eyebrows wrinkled in confusion, "You dazzle me, remember?" He smiled again, but before I could move he pulls me up closer to him so I can sit comfortably on his lap.

"This is nice." I laugh as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I then suddenly felt his cold face press up against my bare chest, with his ruffled hair tickling my chin. I could feel him trace kisses along my collar bone. I stopped breathing for a moment; this would always cause my heart to race.

"Breathe, Bella," He had to remind me.

With Edward, it was all very sensual. Sometimes more than I could handle.

"What was that for?" I ask him curiously.

"I'm weak." His response caught me off guard.

"What?" I ask suddenly, confused by his response. Edward raised his head back up, his eyes now leveled with my own.

"I'm not particularly good at being, well… good." His smirk faded now, and I suddenly felt helpless. I knew he was struggling, but there was nothing I could do. Before thinking, I blurted out "You're so hard on yourself."

"I _have_ to be." He bit back at me while he leaned away from me, but still firmly keeping me placed upon his lap. "I'm sorry, it's just difficult to explain." He replied exasperated. I hated to see him act this way, knowing that I was causing him pain. There was only one solution that I could think of, the only answer that would end Edward's suffering.

"It doesn't have to be." I mumbled quite irritated with the whole situation. He looked up at me, piercing me with his topaz eyes. "We don't have to delay any longer." He was angry; his eyes darted away from mine, refusing to look at me any longer. "If we just do it already-" Edward quickly moved me off of him and back on my side of the bed before I even realized it.

"Don't be so naïve, Bella," he said harshly, "It's not as easy as we make it seem." He turned away from me, clearly angry with me for having brought up the subject again. "I can't just…kill you."

I was more confused than ever. Wasn't the issue, that he could just kill me?

"I don't understand." He paced slowly in my room, fighting to let the words out, but I didn't let him begin. I continued, starting my argument, "This isn't something I just thought up on a whim. I've considered it from every angle and this is the only thing that makes sense, Edward. The longer we wait, the harder it'll be for you and your family."

"I don't give a damn!" He suddenly shouted, his eyes now turning back to me. I could see the struggle in his eyes. He raced over to me; his cold hands gripped my shoulders and roughly push me closer to him. "I know that it's selfish of me, but I don't care. Physically I can easily kill you, _but Bella_, my mind is screaming at me to keep you alive."

"But, you promised. We had a deal." I pleaded; I know I sounded pathetic at that point, desperate for him to remember his promise to me. His hands gently released my shoulders and then cradled my neck.

"Don't you realize that you'll lose your soul?" His voice was softer now, allowing me the courage to raise my own voice in protest.

"You don't know that for sure! I'm tired of being rescued. I just…hate that I continuously put you and your family in danger. " I stained; I hated putting Edward in danger, even though technically he was dangerous himself. But the point was that I'm tired of being weak, of people always worrying about my safety. "It's like you're forced to be my protector, my bodyguard my, my…" I struggled for the right word.

"Hero?" He interjected for me.

"Yeah," I breathed out. That was the correct term, "but you don't have to be."

"Didn't it ever occur to you that maybe I want to be your hero?" He breathed out sensually. If it weren't for his hands that were securely placed on my cheeks to hold me up, I would have melted right then and there. His words came over me, and I couldn't help but feel warm, blissful even they way he smirked down at me. He always knew how to show that he loved me; it was his eyes that give him away, his beautiful golden eyes that peered down into my very soul. Plus, he's not so bad with words either. "I want to be the one to protect you, the one you can always count on."

My lips met his then, and for a moment I know that I'd stopped breathing. The kiss was short, but enough to cause me to feel faint. "Edward," I whispered, he smirked down at me again before placing a cold but very soft kiss on my forehead.

"Please Bella, just let it go for now." His kiss great power over me, and I knew that nothing I could say at this moment that would make him change his mind. So, _for now_, I would obey.


	3. Fight

Chapter 2: Fight

"What did you _expect,_ Dad?"

I bit at him harshly; I wasn't in the mood to have this conversation with him again; in fact I didn't want to have this conversation with him period. "I told you, after the wedding, we're leaving, and I'm not coming back!" I yelled at him as I threw the silverware drawer shut.

Ever since I told my father about the wedding, Charlie and I had not been on the greatest terms. Actually, we rarely spoke to each other. Of course on the night that I told him, he threw a fit, told me I was too young and stupid to get married at my age. He screamed that I was ruining my future, and that Edward was not good enough. That night had been the first time he stormed out of the house and didn't return until three in the morning. I had never seen Charlie act that way, and I had to admit that it terrified me. But at the same time, I was outright angry with him. He was completely irrational; he didn't even let me explain. I wasn't a child anymore, and I was tired of being treated like one. I knew that he blamed me for Jacob's absence, but I no longer cared. I don't control the boy, he makes his own decisions, and he had already made up his mind a long time ago. I was mostly angry with Charlie though, at the fact that I knew deep down if it were Jacob I wanted to marry, he would see no problem with it. It wasn't fair to me.

We stopped eating dinner together. Charlie would come home late most of the time after I had already eaten, or we he would take his plate to the living room. At first, I found it rather childish, but after a while I had started to appreciate the silence. I had almost forgotten what his voice sounded like.

This night was different, odd really. It was the first time he spoke to me about the wedding since that first night.

I braced myself for Charlie to insult me again as I harshly chopped some onions for our dinner. I was building a pretty tough skin, so at that point I was ready for anything he tried to throw at me.

"Damn it, Bella." He was still standing over my shoulder, trying to intimidate me, but I was used to this by now. He huffed once more, because he didn't know what else to say. "You…you'll regret this. I _know_ you will." I paused suddenly while his words filled through me. I wasn't sure if it was a stab at mom, at his anger for how the situation ended, or if I was just that readable. His words had hit the doubts that had lingered in my mind. It wasn't something I would usually let myself think about, and so I stood there, frozen, leaning over the counter full of chopped onions.

Sensing my hesitation, he spoke, for the first time that evening, rather softly, "Bella. I just don't want you to end up like me." I wanted to scream at him '_trust me, I don't either_!' but I couldn't find my voice. I stood, unmoving when I finally heard the back door slam shut, signaling that Charlie had left the house for the second time.

Why couldn't he be a normal father, happy for his daughter that she loved someone enough to get married? But I guess it was hard to want a normal father when his own daughter wasn't going to be normal for long.

I finished chopping the rest of the onions, and threw them in the crock-pot. I was making vegetable stew for dinner, but I suddenly lost my appetite. I was thinking about my father's words, and I knew, deep deep down, that he was right. I _was_ going to regret it someday.

Without looking, I hastily threw my sharp knife against the wall.

"Remind me to be grateful for my quick reflexes," I jerked my head up at the sound of his tender, velvety voice, and watched him walk through the door with the knife in his hand. Edward gently placed the knife against the counter and turned to face me. "Another fight with Charlie?" He asked me tenderly, as he placed his cold hand against my warm, flushed cheek.

I'm smiled up at him weakly, and sighed in defeat. "It's not fair." I turned away from Edward, not wanting to face him. Even though I knew he couldn't read my mind, he was an expert at reading my face. I didn't want him to figure out that I was utterly against this marriage. It wouldn't make any sense to him, why I loved him so, but why I was so unwilling to marry him. He just wouldn't understand.

I felt his cold hands take my wrists and turn me back to face him. "I'm sorry. If I could fix it for you, I would." He looked deeply into my eyes, trying to convince me that his words were sincere. But I already knew that Edward meant every word.

"I know." Edward then tenderly kissed my forehead, and while his lips lingered there for a moment, I envisioned what our life would be like after the next few months. I smiled gratefully for the vision of my vampire self with Edward, happy, content, with our home residing in Alaska or someplace cold. This vision, calmed me, and made me eager to get to that point. I wanted so badly to fast forward these next few months. However, I could only enjoy this vision for just a few seconds.

Oh, how it was such a catch-22.

I wanted so much to become a vampire, but the cost was nearly worth it. _Marriage._ How horrible it sounded to me. Sometimes, it didn't even make any sense to me either. I loved him irrevocably and unconditionally; there was no doubt in my mind. But marriage? Marriage was for…normal people. And I never thought for one second, that Edward and I could ever be normal. As selfish as it may sound, I never wanted us to be normal.

I basked in the idea that Edward and I were some kind of epic love story, that no one else could ever experience this sort of passionate love and infatuation. In some odd sort of way, I felt special, unique, something I've never felt about myself before.

I found myself wrapped in Edward's embrace when I finally pulled away from my thoughts. It felt perfect to me. It was in moments like these that I knew he loved me. "This kills me, you know." I heard him say quietly, but he continued before I could ask, "That I'm powerless to your thoughts." I wanted to scoff '_it would kill you to know',_ but I just hugged him tighter, trying to convince him he had nothing to worry about.

"You've got nothing to worry about. I love you, and I'll always love you." He pulled away from me slightly, looking down at me again.

"It's not your feelings I doubt, Bella. It's your mind." Edward was always successful at confusing me, so instead of asking questions, I just waited for him to explain. "It's the one thing about you, I'm not apart of."

"What?" I asked, trying to stifle a laugh. "You_ are_ kidding right?" I shook my head from disbelief. If only Edward knew how much of him was on my mind, he would think I was crazy. He'd probably tell me to get a life. Actually, he'd probably tell me I needed a better hobby. "Edward, there isn't a second that goes by, when you aren't on my mind. It's the_ only_ part of me, that you're constantly a part of." I tried to mimic his smirk, and he laughed a little at my attempt.

In that moment he quickly grabbed my thighs and had thrust me upwards and onto a clear part of the counter. He was so fast, that I had to close my eyes for a moment to let my head stop spinning. When I felt confident enough to open my eyes again, I saw that Edward's face was just mere inches above mine. "You promise?" He questioned huskily, showing me the proper way to smirk. I could feel my heart pounding harder each minute as my face grew pinker. His hands were still placed between my thighs and the countertop, and his grip was teasing me.

He leaned in closer, and I barely whispered back, "_Promise_," before my eagerness took the best of me. Our kiss was sensual, and grew more passionate by the second. His hands slipped out from under my thighs and found their way to my waist. I could feel his own loss of control when he moved his body closer to the counter and me; he was so close to me that I could have easily wrapped my legs around him. I stopped for a moment to exhale, but for the first time, Edward was impatient. "No." He breathed out, and this scared me. Edward rarely gave into his urges, and he never was one to be pushy in this situation. His hands slid up my back and gently forced my body closer to his. Despite the fact that I was a little anxious and beginning to faint, I didn't want him to stop. His lips traveled down from my chin to my neck, stopping there for a brief moment. "_Edward."_

That was the only thing I could muster out before I fainted, and it was barely above a whisper.

The next thing I remembered was waking up in my room, staring up at my ceiling. I knew I wasn't out for long, I could tell because it was still semi-light outside. I turned my head to see Edward eagerly waiting for me to wake, and the minute he recognized me in full conscious mode, he stood up abruptly and stepped back to the farthest corner of my room.

"This is why you need to stay with Charlie until the wedding," He looked angry, and frustrated with himself, "I can't stop anymore." I wanted so much to tell him that I'd be perfectly fine. That no matter how wrapped up in the moment we get, I never want him to stop. But it wouldn't matter what I'd say; he would find a way to be angry with himself. He knew it was unacceptable to give in. I just wished he'd understand how addicted to him I've become.

"I don't care." I told him forcefully. I could see him holding back a smile, and I slowly sat up to stare into his eyes. "I can't stop either."

This time he laughed genuinely. "You never could."

I only rolled my eyes because he was right, I never could resist him. For a peaceful moment we simple stared at each other, and for the first time I realized that he was just as afraid as I was. For the first time, I realized he wasn't as macho as he claimed to be. "Edward I-" but he cut me off quickly.

"Wait. I hear someone." He looked outside my window, "It's Charlie; he's back."

Surprised, I jumped out of bed to look out the window to see it for myself. "_Funny_. I figured he'd be gone all night again." I said angrily.

"Bella, go easy on him," Edward replied softly and I shot a perturbed glance his way. "He's just torn. He loves you. " I looked up at the ceiling as I heard Charlie open the front door. I knew he loved me, that wasn't the issue and it never was. I just wanted him to support me, even if he didn't agree with my decisions.

"You should go, talk to him." I looked up at Edward, because I could tell he knew something I didn't. From Edward's disposition, I could tell that he was listening to Charlie's thoughts, and that it seemed quite painful. I wanted to reach out and touch him, but I was too nervous. I could tell my father's thoughts were hurting him, but I didn't know what to say. Before I was able to speak, Edward turned to me, a little distraught and replied, "I'm _sorry_, Bella."

For some reason I knew, that he was speaking for Charlie.

I quickly walked passed Edward and ran down the stairs to find my father. I paused on the middle of the staircase to see Charlie waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He clenched his jaws, and from this I knew he had something to say.

"_Stop_," I said harshly, thinking about how Edward was suffering from his thoughts. "Whatever you're thinking, just _don't_." I hesitated for a second, because I knew that whatever he was thinking, I needed to hear it from him now, and not from Edward later. "I mean, just tell me." I crossed my arms across my chest, impatiently waiting for Charlie to spit out whatever hurtful things he was thinking about Edward and me.

I huffed loudly for him to reply.

"I'm not going." He brutally spit out.

I don't know why it startled me; I should have known that he wasn't going to show, but for some reason my heart still sank. I stood still, with my mouth open in shock. "I refuse to watch you ruin your life." He turned away from me, his voice a little softer than before.

"You're not my daughter. The Isabella Swan that I knew would never be this foolish." He walked out of the house again, but this time he didn't slam the door shut.

I stood in silence, conflicted with my feelings. So many things ran through my mind that I couldn't keep up. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to weed through everything, but I couldn't. I couldn't force myself to think properly, I couldn't force myself to think at all; I just wanted to shut down.

I felt Edward's arms slowly encircle my waist, but I couldn't move, even when he tenderly kissed the back of my head.

"I love you, Bella Swan." He whispered in my ear.

We stood there, for a long time, just listening to the echoing silence. I don't know exactly how long we stood there, but I knew much time had passed, the sun had set, and the moon had risen. After that deafening silence, Edward finally led me back upstairs and back into my room. We immediately lied in bed, where I clung to him, and where he held me close.

That night, for the first time since I announced my engagement, cold, wet tears slid coarsely down my cheeks.


End file.
